Press Announcement (7th July 2009)

Business Link Service provider gets quality 'thumbs -up'

The organisation responsible for delivering Business Link and other key business support services across Cornwall and The Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset has received a top accolade for the quality of the services it provides. Following an extensive assessment of service quality, client interaction, social inclusion and equality, Peninsula Enterprise is one of the first regional business support organisations to be presented with the Prowess ‘Flagship Award’ quality standard for its “outstanding services for women looking to develop their business” in the three counties”.

A national quality standard developed and managed by Prowess, the independent UK voice for women’s enterprise, the Flagship Award is recognised by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and a number of Regional Development Agencies around the country. The award is only presented to businesses and organisations that demonstrate “the highest possible level of support” in all thirteen rigorous standards applied by Prowess.

Adam Chambers, Chief Executive of Peninsula Enterprise, says he is absolutely delighted the organisation has received the Flagship award status from Prowess.

“To achieve accreditation for best practice quality standards in such an important area of our service is a credit to everyone concerned. It’s especially pleasing as the South West has one of the highest levels of female entrepreneurial activity in the UK and the provision of high quality support for such businesses is extremely important – both to the businesses themselves as well as the regional economy as a whole.”

“We’re looking to build on this success to encourage and support more and more enterprising women across the region – it’s telling to note that we would have an additional 750,000 businesses if we could help to achieve the same proportion of female entrepreneurs as is the case on the other side of the Atlantic. That’s quite a goal to aim for and shows there’s no room for resting on laurels !"

Jo Makepeace, Flagship Co-ordinator at Prowess said “Our aim is to support members to provide the most effective services to all their clients, but especially their female users. Peninsula Enterprise has been through an extensive and robust assessment and firmly deserves this recognition of its outstanding work for enterprising women in the south west.”
Peninsula Enterprise, a business unit within Serco Regional Services Ltd, is responsible for handling public sector and grant funded programmes in the region. In addition to Business Link, it is also responsible for skills support and development services, the South West Rural Enterprise Gateway, business support services within the Convergence programme in Cornwall and The Isles of Scilly and services delivered under UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) in the region.

For further information please contact:
Ron Dyson: 01308 485707 - David Wilford: 01672 564529 / 07790 774284

Issued on behalf of Peninsula Enterprise by The Aurora Partnership

Notes to Editors

Please advise editorial contacts above if you require any examples of women-led enterprises in your area who have benefitted from the services provided under the various public sector and grant funded programmes delivered by Peninsula Enterprise.

About Serco - Serco is a FTSE 100 international service company which combines commercial know-how with a deep public service ethos. We improve services by managing people, processes, technology and assets more effectively. We advise policy makers, design innovative solutions, integrate systems and - most of all - deliver to the public. Serco supports governments, agencies and companies who seek a trusted partner with a solid track record of providing assured service excellence. Our people offer operational, management and consulting expertise in the aviation, BPO, defence, education, health, home affairs, local government, science, technology, transport and the commercial sectors.More information can be found at www.serco.com

More information on Prowess can be found at www.prowess.org.uk

For further information, please contact:
Ron Dyson 01308 485707 or David Wilford 01672 564529 / 07790 774284